Stapling means and gaging and stapling combination



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 TTORNEY.

L- MESTRE Dec. 7, 1965 STAPLING MEANS AND GAGING AND STAPLING COMBINATION Filed Dec. 10, 1962 f a VM m m fla N m gi f A I w v 1 r f :2 f m 1.

Dec. 7, 1965 MESTRE 3,221,964

STAPLING MEANS AND GAGING AND STAPLING COMBINATION Filed Dec. 10, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LUIS MESTRE ATTORNEY.

Dec. 7, 1965 STAPLING MEANS AND GAG Filed Dec. 10, 1962 MESTRE 3,221,964

ING AND STAPLING COMBINATION 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. F POWER SWITCH MOTOR SWITCH STAPLER 34 SOLENOID NON STAPLE 1 SWITCH l I 30 35 STAPLER j SWITCH REJECT THIN SOLENOID BOOK SWITCH 233 ISTAPLER 207 i {ON-OFF SWITCH THICK BOOK SWITCH INVENTOR LUIS MESTRE ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,221,964 STAELING MEANS AND GAGING AND STAPLING COMBINATION Luis Mestre, 305 E. 46th St., New York, N.Y. Fiied Dec. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 243,345 Iii Claims. (Cl. 227) The invention relates to a stapling means and to a gaging and stapling combination for stapling a plurality of sheets on the transporting means between a collating mechanism and a depositing platform or table. The stapling means is intended particularly for use in the transporting means such as that of the Mestre Collator S.N. 191,141, filed April 30, 1962 Patent 3,108,797 dated October 29, 1963, although it may be used in other sheet transporting means. This collator provides a plurality of storage pockets, each containing a pile of one sheet, and each pocket containing a pile of a different sheet. The collating mechanism ejects one sheet from each storage pocket and feeds this book of sheets in overlapping but is spaced end to end relation to a stop on the transporting means. The sheets of the book are brought into end to end alinement at the stop. It is now desired to staple the book of sheets particularly in one corner while the sheets are halted at the stop before the book is passed to a deposit platform. When the sheets are stapled on the transporting means at the stop, it is desirable that the sheets be brought into more precise lateral alinement and more precise end to end alinement.

An object of the invention is to construct a sheet stapling means for a book of sheets which is carried by the sheet transporting means provided for a collator.

Another object of the invention is to gage and staple a book of sheets while it is on the transporting means between the collator and the deposit platform or reject bin of a collator.

It is another object to render the stapling means inoperative in the event that the book of sheets is lacking one or more sheets or has one or more additional sheets.

It is another object to construct a gaging and stapling combination on a transporting means in which a book of the proper number of sheets only is stapled.

It is a further object of the invention to construct a gaging and stapling combination with a simple interconnection between a counter and a reject means such that a rejected book of sheets is not counted upon the operation of a book rejecting means.

Other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of the sheet transporting means which is located at a sheet collating mechanism with the stapler, shown moved away for clarity, and gaging means thereon;

FIG. 2 is a side view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1 of the control and operating mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing the gaging means for detecting a thin book as well as a thick book but lacking the operating connection;

FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram of the electrical connections;

FIG. 5 shows the drive roller for the sheet feeding or transporting belts of the transporting means; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the book reject means.

The collator described in the above identified application provides a collator frame 20 having a plurality of storage pockets each of which has a pile of sheets of a different sheet of a book. The collator structure is not shown. Many of the numerals used herein are those 3,221,964 Patented Dec. 7, 1965 used in the prior application for the same structure. Means are provided to eject one sheet from each storage pocket at the same or approximately the same time and feed the same in overlaying relation but with their ends progressively spaced apart a relatively small distance such as two or three inches. These ejected sheets, forming one book, are fed in spaced overlapping relation to the sheet transporting means which includes a frame 21 of suitable form and having side plates 21a and sheet feeding means shown particularly as pairs of feed belts 141 and 158, two pairs being shown. In the collator of the prior application, the transporting means and its belts are preferably inclined.

The set of feed belts 158, FIG. 5, pass over a roller 159 around roller 142 at the top and pass around roller 161, at the bottom of the transporting means. The inner span of belts 158 are driven downwardly, as viewed in FIG. 1, by contact of each belt 158 with its cooperating belt 141 and particularly by the arcuate contact provided between the belts around the drive roller 145, FIG. 5. The path of the sheet is longitudinally of the transporting means between the belt 141 and the contacting portion of inner span of the belts 158. The roller 145 is driven from the drive or main shaft 26 by a belt and pulley means 153. Belt 141 passes over rollers 145 and 147 and belt 158 overlies belt 141 (FIG. 5) particularly around part of roller 145 and hence is driven by the roller 145 and 147, through contact with belt 141; Supporting plate means 166 carried by the side plates 21a of the frame gives additional support to the sheets when being transported by the belts.

The transporting means carries suitable stop means which is engaged by the forward edge of each sheet and halts the sheets thereagainst for gaging and stapling. Incidental to this application it is while the book of sheets are halted at the stop means that jogging takes place for more precise alinement of the sheets. The stop means particularly illustrated moves into and away from the path of movement of the sheets adjacent to the contacting belts. The stop operating means removes such as by depressing, the stop means from the path of the book of sheets so that the book may be advanced thereover to the end of the transporting means. The stop means is brought into the path of the sheets to halt the book of sheets for a period to bring the sheets into alinement, then gaged and stapled, after which the stop means is depressed and the belts of the transporting means carries the book to the end of the transporting means where a deposit platform may be provided. In the event that the book is a thin one with one or more sheets missing or the book is a thick one with one or more extra sheets, as measured by the gaging means, the book is not stapled and is deflected at the end of the transporting means to a rejection bin.

Heretofore a book of sheets were collated and delivered to the transporting means where the sheets were alined and gaged, and if there were a proper number of sheets in the book, it was transported to the end of the transporting means where a stapling means was provided. There are many occasions when it is desired that the book of sheets be stapled in the corner thereof only and particularly one corner only and in such case it is simpler to staple the sheets on the transporting means when the sheets are halted there at the same time that the book is gaged. After gaging and stapling, the book of sheets is passed on to a deposit platform (not shown) at the end of the transporting means. Any suitable type of stapler 22 may be used and consequently the stapler is generally indicated only and preferably it is operated by a solenoid 23. A single stapler is shown, to be positioned as illustrated in dot dash lines, at one corner of the sheets and it is mounted on a supporting bar 24. The stapler is clamped on the supporting bar in proper position with respect to the corner of the book by the clamp 25. Any form of stop means may be provided, however the means illustrated is moved into and retracted from stop position in the path ofmovement of the sheets between the belts so that the belts feed the book to the end of the transporting means. The retractable stop means is mounted on a pivot 164 carried by the frame 21, and constitutes a plurality of projecting stops 165 which extend laterally across the transporting means. Operating means is provided to move the stop means to and from stop position. Preferably a spring 167 propels the stop means to stop position. When the stop means is in stop position, the leading or forward edge of the sheets of the book engage the projecting stop means and the leading edges of all of the sheets are brought into alinement therewith. Preferably the sheets are more precisely alined before stapling by lateral and longitudinal jogging means described in Patent No. 3,172,656, dated March 9, 1965.

The stop means is moved to and from stop position by stop operating means shown in FIG. 2. A stop operating cam 169 is mounted on the main or drive shaft 26. A lever 170 is pivotally mounted on a pivot 171 carried by the frame and this lever movably supports a push link 173 having a cam follower 172 on its end which engages the stop operating cam. A connection linkage is provided between the push link and the stop means, which, as shown, includes a sparable linkage. The push link 173 has a pin 175 at its other end which connects with a bell crank lever 176 .mounted on a pivot 177 carried by the collator frame 20. The arm 178 of the bell crank lever engages a pin 179 carried by a lever 180 which is pivotally mounted on the frame 21 on a pivot 181. This lever is connected by a link 182 and pin 184 to an arm 187 which is secured to the pivot 164 carrying the stop means. The stop means, therefore, is propelled by the stop operating means described to and from stop position once for each cycle of operation of the shaft 26 and hence for each cycle of operation of the collator to move them out of the way for advance of the book to the end of the transporting means. The lever connections 178, 179, provide a separable connection so that the transporting means frame 21 with its structure may be pivoted away from the collator or main frame 20. See Patent No. 3,108,797.

While the book of sheets is retained in stop position, it is gaged by gaging means in order to determine whether or not there is an excess number of sheets, that is a too thick book, or there is a sheet or sheets lacking, that is a too thin book. This book gaging means is shown in FIG. 3. The gaging means in effect includes two gages, one which gages for an excess of sheets or too great a thickness and the other which gages for too few sheets or a too thin book. The gage for a thick book includes a switch plunger 190, slidably mounted in the frame 21 and which is pressed forwardly by a spring 191 into contact with the last sheet of the book of sheets between the belt means. The end of this plunger is normally spaced from the contact button of a switch 192. The first sheet of the book of sheets is engaged by an operating plunger 193 which is slidably mounted in the frame 21 and is connected by a link 194 with an arm 195 mounted on pivot rod 196 so that when the rod 196 and arm 195 is pivoted, this plunger is pressed into contact with the outer sheet (or upwardly as shown in FIG. 3). The length of the arm 195 with respect to the pivot rod 196 is adjustable by a screw 197. If there is a proper number of sheets in the book, the switch plunger 190 is not moved hence the switch 192 remains open. If, however, the book is thicker than it should be, such as by having one or more additional sheets in the book, or an inadvertent thick sheet, then the switch plunger is pressed far enough so that the switch 192 is closed.

The thin book gage rejects a book of sheets which lacks one or more sheets or is thinner than it should be and includes a fixed anvil 200 carried by the frame 21 but the position of this anvil may be adjusted by any suitable means, that shown including a screw 201 with a tapered end 202 which screw is threaded into a nut 203 carried by the frame 21. A spring 204 normally holds the end of the anvil in contact with the taper. The tapered end of the screw enables the position of the anvil to be adjusted. Cooperating with this anvil is a second switch plunger 205 which is slidably mounted in the frame and having a switch operator 206 secured to the other end thereof to engage a second switch 207. The switch plunger is propelled towards the anvil by a spring 208 Within the plunger and engaging the end of a push rod 209 which is slidably mounted within the plunger. A pin 210 carried by the push rod and slidable in a pin slot 211 in the plunger prevents the latter from turning. The push rod is attached by a pin to one end of a connecting link 212 and the other end of the link is pivotally secured by a pin to an arm 213 which arm is secured to rod 196. This spring pressed operating plunger 205 is advanced once for each revolution of the shaft 26, through the cam 217 and the connecting linkage to rod 196, and hence for each cycle of the collator plunger 205 is advanced with the first operating plunger 193. If the book has less than the proper number of sheets so that the book is too thin, the plunger 209 is advanced far enough so that the switch operator 206 engages the switch 207 to close the same. If the book of sheets is of proper thickness, the two switches remain open and nothing happens.

The two gages are operated by oscillating the pivot rod 196 by gage operating means including a gage cam 217, FIG. 2, carried on the main shaft 26. The cam is engaged by a cam follower 218 carried by a push link 220 movably mounted on the frame 20 by a lever 219 pivoted on the pivot 171. This lever 219 is connected with the push link 220 by a pivot 221. The other end of the push link is pivotally attached by a pivot 222 to a bell crank 223 pivotally mounted on the pivot 177. The arm 224 of this bell crank engages a pin 225 carried by a pivoted lever 226 mounted on pivot 181. This connection provides a separable connection as explained above. Lever 226 is connected by a link 227 to an arm 228 by a pin 228a, which arm is secured to the end of pivot rod 196. This arm is projected in a clockwise direction by a spring 229. Oscillation of lever 228 oscillates the pivot rod 196 and the arms 195 and 213 which, through the links propels the gaging means plungers 193 and 205 towards their respective plunger and anvil 200 and into contact with the book of sheets, which have been halted in their forward progress by the stop means.

In order to adjust the gages, a lever 230 is mounted on a pivot 231 carried by the frame, which lever has a notch 232 to engage the lever 228 or pin 228a. This lever holds the pivot rod 196 with the plungers advanced. With a book of sheets of the proper number of sheets in gaging position, the adjusting knobs 197 (and on 201 not shown) are manipulated until its respective switch is closed which may be indicated by lighting of a signal light. Each adjusting knob is then backed off about a quarter turn. This adjustment is made for both gages.

The two gaging switches 192, 207, FIG. 4, are connected in circuit in parallel so that, if either of the switches is closed, a reject solenoid 233 is energized which controls the movement of a reject means shown as a deflector 234, FIG. 2, to a position in the path of the book of sheets so that the book is by-passed or projected downwardly to a reject bin. The deflector is pivoted on a pivot 236 to reject position by being connected with and operated with the stop means. It is triggered by the solenoid 233 and by one of the gaging means. The operating means for the deflector includes a link 237 pivotally attached to the stop means by a pin 238, carried by a lever 238a which is secured to stop means pivot 164 or more particularly to the arm 187 by a thumb screw 238b. The other end of this link carries a long slot 239 which receives a slot pin 240 carried by a lever 24-2. The slot extends longitudinally of the link and has a lateral opening at the end of the slot to a short slot 241. The lever 242 is pivotally mounted on the frame on a pivot 243. The slot pin 240 carries a deflector link 244, the other end of which is attached to a pivot 246 carried by a lever 247. Lever 247 is secured to pivot 236 to which the deflector 234 is secured. A spring 248 has one end secured to the lever 242 and the other end is secured to the frame and propels this lever in a counter clockwise direction, which normally holds the deflector in normal position for directing a proper thickness of book of sheets over the deflector onto a deposit platform (not shown). The lower end of the transporting means may be directed more horizontally than the incline of the rest thereof to deliver the book in better position for deposit on a deposit platform.

The armature of solenoid 233 is connected with means to render the link 237 operative to swing the deflector 234 to reject position and deflect a book downwardly and to release the reject link from operating position so that the deflector returns to normal position. This means includes a latch pin carrier 252 secured to the armature. A spring 253 normally projects the armature to normal position to the left. A latch 254 is pivotally mounted on a pivot 255 carried by a frame and a latch spring 256 serves a double function in that it propels the latch in a clockwise direction so that a surface 257 on the latch engages a latch pin 258 carried by the carrier and also propels the link 237 to normal position with the pin 240 in the long slot 239 of the slot means. A latch shoulder 259 is carried by the latch normally located below the latch pin.

When the solenoid 238 is energized, the latch pin 258 is moved downwardly which propels the link 237 downwardly to bring the pin 240 into the short slot 241 of the slot means. The latch pin and hence the link are held in this position by the shoulder 259 on the latch. Now when the stop means is withdrawn from stop position the longitudinal movement of the link 237 moves the deflector link 244 to the right to swing the deflector 234 to reject position in the path of the book and deflects it downwardly. The final longitudinal movement of the link 237 brings a latch release pin 260 carried by the reject link 2337 into contact with the latch and pivots it counterclockwise to release the latch pin 258 from the shoulder 259 so that the latch, link 237, deflector and armature is restored to normal position, as shown in FIG. 2. The pin 24!), however, remains in the short slot by virtue of the indent until the stop means starts to swing toward stop position whereupon the reject link 237 moves up to bring the pin into the long slot or portion 239. If the armature is not energized, then the pin 240 slides in the long slot 239 and the deflector remains in normal position, passing a book thereover such as to a deposit platform.

When the gage 200, 205 of the gaging means gages a book of sheets as being too thin because the book lacks one or more sheets or gage 190, 193 gages a book that is too thick because of one or more additional sheets, it is desired that this book of sheets not be stapled and be delivered to a reject bin so that each of the sheets may be re-distributed into its storage pocket of the collator. The stapling means is therefore rendered inoperative by means under the control of the gaging means. In the particular construction described, in which the stapler is operated by a solenoid, a switch 30 is provided connected with the solenoid 31. This switch is located adjacent to the drive or main shaft 26 and is closed by a cam 31 carried by the drive shaft so that the switch is closed once for each revolution of the shaft or once for each cycle of operation of the stapling and gaging means. Closing of the switch normally operates the stapler.

When a gaging means switch 192 or 207 is closed by a too thin or a too thick book, the reject solenoid 233 is energized to pull the lever 237 downwardly. A switch lever 34 is operated by this movement of the link 237 to close a non staple switch 35. This switch is normally closed and is in series with the stapler switch 30 so that normally a book of sheets is stapled. Upon operation of the reject solenoid 233, the non staple switch 35 is opened so that the circuit to the stapler solenoid is open and hence the stapling means does not function when switch 30 closes. The sheets are then deflected by deflector 234 to a reject bin (not shown). In other words these sheets are deflected from the normal path of the book of sheets to a deposit platform.

A counter 38, FIG. 2, is connected with the book reject means and normally operated when a book of sheets is accepted by the gaging means. The counter is operated by a lever 39 which is pivotally mounted on a pivot 40 carried by the side plates 21a and carries a roll 41. The counter lever is operated by an extension 42 carried by the link 237 where it has substantial movement such as the end thereof. In the normal position of link 237 with the pin 240 engaging in the long slot 239, the extension engages the counter lever and operates the same. When the link 237 has been shifted to reject position, the extension is moved downwardly or to a position to the right, as viewed in FIG. 2 away from engagement with the counter lever 39 and hence an unstapled rejected book is not counted.

A book of sheets is withdrawn from collator pockets in staggered and overlapping relation and fed to the transporting means between the moving belts 141 and 158 at the position shown in FIG. 5. These sheets are fed over roller and along the transporting means with and between the belts. The stop means are projected into the path of the sheets by the cam 169 and the leading edges of all of the sheets are brought into alignment against the stop means.

The book of sheets is gaged by the gaging means, FIG. 3, when the book is halted at the stop means. The cam 217 through its connections with the pivot rod 196, turns the same to project the plungers 193 and 205 into contact with the sheets. If the book of sheets is of the proper thickness, closing of the stapler switch 30 by the earn 3, operates the stapler and the sheets are stapled. After stapling, the stop means is removed from the path of the book and it is transported by the belts to the end of the transporting means. The pin 240, FIG. 6, of the lever 242 is normally in the long slot 239 in the link 237 so that the link 244 is not moved and the deflector 234 remains in by-pass position with respect to the transporting means so that the book is propelled over the deflector onto a deposit table. If the book is a thin book or a thick book, one of the gaging means switches 192 or 297 is closed, which energizes the reject solenoid 233, FIG. 2. This solenoid pulls down the latch pin carrier 252, whereupon the latch pin 253 opens the non-staple switch 35 FIG. 4, and this breaks the circuit between the stapler switch 30 and the stapler solenoid 31 so that the book of sheets is not stapled when the stapler switch 30 is closed by cam 31. When the latch pin 258 is pulled down, the shoulder 259, FIG. 6, of the latch 254 moves over the pin and holds it in depressed position and holds the non-staple switch open.

When the solenoid 233 is energized, the pin 258 also propels the link 237 downwardly, FIG. 6, so that the pin 240 is brought into the short slot 241 in the link. In this position, when the link 237 moves upwardly actuated by arm 169, the deflector link 244 is pulled to the right so that the deflector 234 is pivoted to deflecting position. The book of unstapled sheets is deflected downwardly by the deflector 234 and the book does not pass to the de-' posit table but on the other hand goes to a reject bin below the mechanism shown in FIG. 2. Upon the upward movement of the link 237, the pin 260 carried thereby engages the latch 254 to release the latch and pin 258, whereupon the spring 253 raises the link 252 and its pin 258 and the switch 35 closes for the next cycle. The deflector plate 234 is restored to its original position in which the books pass thereover and the spring 256 raises the link 237 to restore the pin 240 into the long slot 239. The mechanism is ready for the next book of sheets.

This invention is presented to fill a need for improvements in a stapling machine. It is understood that various modifications in structure, as well as changes in mode of operation, assembly, and manner of use, may and often do occur to those skilled in the art, especially after benefiting from the teachings of an invention. This disclosure illustrates the preferred means of embodying the invention in useful form.

I claim:

1. A gaging and stapling combination for use with a collator comprising a frame, transporting means carried by the frame to feed a book of sheets longitudinally in a sheet path in staggered sheet relation, a drive shaft, means connecting the drive shaft, with the transporting means to drive the latter, stop means, stop mounting means carried by the frame and mounting the stop means adjacent to the transporting means and between the ends thereof to be engaged by the book of sheets in its path of movement said stop mounting means mounting the stop means for movement towards and away from the path of movement of the book of sheets, means connecting the drive shaft with the stop means to operate the latter, stapling means carried by the frame adjacent to and above the stop means so as to be over the book when halted at the stop means including at least one stapler, stapler operating means connecting the drive shaft with the stapling means to operate the latter when the sheets are halted at the stop means, gaging means carried by the frame spaced rearwardly of the stop means to engage the book of sheets including a gage responsive to a thin book and a gage responsive to a thick book, a gage switch connected with each gage and operated thereby, means operated by a gage switch and connected with the stapler operating means to render the same inoperable whereby the book is not stapled a book deflector at the end of the transporting means, a normally inoperative connecting means between the drive shaft and the deflector to operate the latter, and means operated by the gaging means and connected with the deflector connecting means to render the same operative.

2. A gaging and stapling combination as in claim 1 in which the deflector connecting means includes a reject link having a normal position and a reject position, the gaging means being connected with the reject link to effect the movement thereof to reject position, and the means to render the stapler operating means inoperative is connected with the reject link.

3. A gaging and stapling combination as in claim 2 in which the stapler operating means includes a stapler solenoid, a stapler switch connected with the stapler solenoid, and means operated by the drive shaft to close the stapler switch.

4. A gaging and stapling combination as in claim 3 including a normally closed non-stapling switch in series with the stapler switch, and means operated by the gaging means to open the non-stapling switch.

5. A gaging and stapling combination as in claim 2 including a counter, an extension carried by the reject link operatively connected with the counter solely in normal position of the reject link.

6. A gaging and stapling combination as in claim 5 in which the reject link includes slot means having a long slot for normal position and a connected short slot for reject position, a pin engaging in the slot means, and a deflector link connected with the pin.

7. A gaging and stapling combination as in claim 5 in which the stapler operating means includes a solenoid connected with said stapler, and a stapler switch connected with said stapler solenoid, means operated by the drive shaft and connected with the stapler switch to operate the latter, and a normally closed non-stapling switch in series with the stapler switch and connected with the reject link to open the non-stapling switch when the link is in reject position.

8. A gaging and stapling combination for use with a collator comprising a frame, transporting means carried by the frame to feed a book of sheets longitudinally in a sheet path in staggered sheet relation, a drive shaft, means connecting the drive shaft with the transportting means to drive the latter, stop means, stop mounting means carried by the frame and mounting the stop means adjacent to the transporting means and between the ends thereof to be engaged by the book of sheets in its path of movement, stapling means carried by the frame adjacent to and above the stop means so as to be over the book when the sheets are halted at the stop means including at least one stapler, stapler operating means connecting the drive shaft with the stapling means to operate the latter when the sheets are halted at the stop means, gaging means carried by the frame spaced rearwardly of the stop means to engage the book of sheets including a gage responsive to a thin book and a gage responsive to a thick book, a gage switch connected with each gage and operated thereby, means operated by a gage switch and connected with the stapler operating means to render the same inoperable, reject means to reject a book of sheets, and means operated by the gaging means and connected with the reject means to operate the latter, a counter, and connecting means connecting the counter and the reject means and disconnecting the counter upon operation of the reject means.

9. A gaging and stapling combination for use with a collator comprising a frame, transporting means carried by the frame to feed a book of sheets longitudinally in a sheet path in staggered sheet relation, a drive shaft, means connecting the drive shaft with the transporting means to drive the latter, stop means, stop mounting means carried by the frame and mounting the stop means adjacent to the transporting means and between the ends thereof to be engaged by the book of sheets in its path of movement, stapling means carried by the frame adjacent to and above the stop means so as to be over the book when the sheets are halted at the stop means including at least one stapler, stapler operating means connecting the drive shaft with the stapling means to operate the latter when the sheets are halted at the stop means, gaging means carried by the frame spaced rearwardly of the stop means to engage the book of sheets including a gage responsive to a thin book and a gage responsive to a thick book, a gage switch connected with each gage and operated thereby, means operated by a gage switch and connected with the stapler operating means to render the same inoperable, reject means to reject a book of sheets, and means operated by the gaging means and connected with the reject means to operate the latter, a counter, in which the reject means comprises a reject link movable to a normal and a reject position, and an operating connection between the counter and the reject link solely in normal position thereof.

10. A gaging and stapling combination as in claim 9 in which the reject link is connected with the stop means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,140,531 5/1915 Risberg 1-388 2,693,595 11/1954 Belluche l388 X 2,975,424 3/1961 Oussani l-lOl GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, 111., Primary Examiner. 

1. A GAGING AND STAPLING COMBINATION FOR USE WITH A COLLATOR COMPRISING A FRAME, TRANSPORTING MEANS CARRIED BY THE FRAME TO FEED A BOOK OF SHEETS LONGITUDINALLY IN A SHEET PATH IN STAGGERED SHEET RELATION, A DRIVE SHAFT, MEANS CONNECTING THE DRIVE SHAFT, WITH THE TRANSPORTING MEANS TO DRIVE THE LATTER, STOP MEANS, STOP MOUNTING MEANS CARRIED BY THE FRAME AND MOUNTING THE STOP MEANS ADJACENT TO THE TRANSPORTING MEANS AND BETWEEN THE ENDS THEREOF TO BE ENGAGED BY THE BOOK OF SHEETS IN ITS PATH OF MOVEMENT SAID STOP MOUNTING MEANS MOUNTING THE STOP MEANS FOR MOVEMENT TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE BOOK OF SHEETS, MEANS CONNECTING THE DRIVE SHAFT WITH THE STOP MEANS TO OPERATE THE LATTER, STAPLING MEANS CARRIED BY THE FRAME ADJACENT TO AND ABOVE THE STOP MEANS SO AS TO BE OVER THE BOOK WHEN HALTED AT THE STOP MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE STAPLER, STAPLER OPERATING MEANS CONNECTING THE DRIVE SHAFT WITH THE STAPLING MEANS TO OPERATE THE LATTER WHEN THE SHEETS ARE HALTED AT THE STOP MEANS, GAGING MEANS CARRIED BY THE FRAME SPACED REARWARDLY OF THE STOP MEANS TO ENGAGE THE BOOK OF SHEETS INCLUDING A GAGE RESPONSIVE TO A THIN BOOK AND A GAGE RESPONSIVE TO A THICK BOOK, A GAGE SWITCH CONNECTED WITH EACH GAGE AND OPERATED THEREBY, MEANS OPERATED BY A GAGE SWITCH AND CONNECTED WITH THE STAPLER OPERATING MEANS TO RENDER THE SAME INOPERABLE WHEREBY THE BOOK IS NOT STAPLED A BOOK DEFLECTOR AT THE END OF THE TRANSPORTING MEANS, A NORMALLY INOPERATIVE CONNECTING MEANS BETWEEN THE DRIVE SHAFT AND THE DEFLECTOR TO OPERATE THE LATTER, AND MEANS OPERATED BY THE GAGING MEANS AND CONNECTED WITH THE DEFLECTOR CONNECTING MEANS TO RENDER THE SAME OPERATIVE. 